A non-contact fixing method, such as oven fixing or flash fixing, in which a toner is fixed by applying heat or light energy to a toner in a non-contacting state, has a feature that there is no offset phenomenon or deterioration of resolution which is problematic in a contact fixing method. Further, in a non-contact fixing method, since an unfixed image is not pressed, which is the case using a heat-roller fixing method, an even higher-quality image can be obtained.
However, in the non-contact fixing method, it is necessary to melt the toner instantly; thus improving the fixing ability is a serious problem to be solved especially in high-speed fixing devices. Therefore, toners for non-contact fixing using a specific resin binder are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. Hei 8-87130, Hei 5-107805, and the like. However, even though the fixing ability is improved, the durability is impaired, thereby resulting in lowering of the image density. Therefore, further improvements are desired.